Israel begins expanding settlement in Jenin

JENIN (Ma’an) — Israel began large-scale digging works on Saturday in preparation for the expansion of an illegal settlement in the northern West Bank district of Jenin.

Residents of the Ya’bad village, on which the Shaqed settlement is built, said bulldozers entered on Saturday and began razing village land to make way for several new housing units.

The expansion follows the expiration of a partial settlement moratorium in the West Bank last month, which the US and EU urged Israel to prolong in a bid to save flailing peace talks from collapse over settlement activity.

The Ya’bad village is surrounded by several Israeli settlements including Shaqed, Rehan, Hinnanit, Mevo Dotan and Hermesh.

On Friday, the US said it was disappointed by Israel’s announcement that several new homes in two illegal East Jerusalem settlements had been approved, describing the move as “contrary” to efforts to resume direct negotiations.

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From the Archives

27th August 2007
In the early afternoon the Palestinian security forces returned an Israeli soldier who is understood to have become lost in the streets of Jenin.
At about 1.30 pm a single Israeli soldier, coming from Nasser street, entered the city center of Jenin. Eye witnesses reported that he was driving a civilian car, but because...